My Daily Menu Plan

I have found that if I think in food groups throughout my day, it's easier for my brain and less stuff to think about. The most basic way to think about meals is to combine a meat-sourced protein with a carb: 1:1. If you add more carbs, increase your protein. Beans count as a carb not a protein in this diet plan... sorry. Fill the rest of your meal with a couple servings of veggies and one serving of fruit.

Eat 3 meals a day... no more than 4-5 hours a part. You need to eat a good sized breakfast, even if you need to spread it over the course of the morning. The goal of this menu plan (increase your energy and shed off unwanted pounds) is to increase your protein to become balanced with your carbs, and eat 75% of your daily calories before 2 pm. When you limit your starch intake to one or two servings a meal, you need to increase your fats to maintain the correct number of daily calories. So, it's okay to put butter on your toast or use oil to cook your eggs. If you're worried about cholesterol with eggs, use 3 egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs. You can even leave one yolk with 3 egg whites. You'll find you have more energy in the afternoon when you eat more protein in the morning/lunch-time hours. Sometimes, when I'm dragging my feet in the late afternoon, I double up on my snacks or have another bowl of cereal (non-sugar cereal with higher protein) to get me through til dinner.


Breakfast:
Protein: Eggs/Meat
Starch: Bread/Cereal
Use oil or butter
Use seasonings... dill, oregano, basil... don't just eat plain food. It's gross! Add seasonings or veggies to help the flavor.*
Add some veggies on the side or in the eggs. :)
If you add fruit to this meal or anymore sugar/starch... just increase your meat.**
*I love using salt... when you no longer use processed foods, you don't have to worry so much about using salt to flavor your foods. Sea Salt is my favorite!
** I only have one, or maybe two, servings of fruit a day. Usually its my "dessert" but I always eat fruit with my meal.


Snack:
Protein: milk or something with 8+ grams of protein
Grain: Bread/Cereal... as wholesome as you can


Lunch:
Protein: Meat (chicken, tuna, turkey, beef, whatever... just not processed with added ingredients)
Grain: Bread, pasta, crackers, something yummy
2 servings (at least) of veggies (stay away from high-starch foods like potatoes, carrots, beets, etc).
1 serving of fruit if you haven't had one yet today.
remember your fats and seasonings to help it taste great!


Snack:
Veggies (I love pickles and cucumbers) with some seasonings or vinegar
Bowl of cereal (I love Kashi Flakes and 1% milk)


Dinner:
Protein: one serving
Grain: you can have two grains servings if you'd like, just eat a little more meat
Veggies: three servings
Fruit for dessert: one serving... be careful not to eat a big bowl of ice cream later in the evening. Your morning will be more difficult if you do. If you must have sugar, eat it with your dinner (right at the end), but at the same time. Then the affect won't be as great.


Snack:
Around 8 or 9 pm, it's fine to have a small protein serving to help you have more energy first thing in the morning. Keep the portions small... about 2 servings or so.
Milk, Cheese, Bread


Of course I vary this menu plan, but I would suggest starting with this layout and stick to it for an entire month. See how you feel. If there's no change and you still have no energy, then this Menu Plan isn't your answer. Don't despair, keep trying to find the answer! If you feel a little better and have more energy by dinnertime, then keep going! :)